belt
- Museum number
- Af1998,01.61
- Description
-
Woman's ceremonial belt (hizam) made of silk. Red silk warp and weft with supplementary weft patterns in white, red, blue, orange and green silk arranged in horizontal bands at either end. Central section has supplementary weft in herringbone pattern in gold thread on one side and in orange silk thread on other side. Warp threads left loose at one end of belt immediately before the edge. Belt is stamped with manufacturer's name on one side in black ink: 'al-Arousse'.
- Production date
- 1997-1998
- Dimensions
-
Length: 250 centimetres
-
Width: 30 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Eth.Doc.362. This belt was made in one of the weaving shops owned by Karim al-Arousse in Mahdia but made for sale in the neighbouring town of Moknine for use by women at marriage. It is worn folded in half, with the gold section placed centrally and facing outwards. The belt is subsequently worn at family celebrations and festivals. Such belts are woven in two forms: one, with gold thread on both sides of the central section is named rafi' (exquisite or refined), whereas this belt, which has orange silk thread replacing the gold thread on one side, is known as 'adiy (ordinary). This second type of belt is less expensive to purchase.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Good.
- Acquisition date
- 1998
- Acquisition notes
- This fieldwork collection was purchased, together with Af1998,02-03, using BP (British Petroleum) sponsorship in February-March 1998. This belt was purchased new from Karim al-Arousse in Mahdia on 5.3.98 for 200 TD (Tunisian Dinar).
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1998,01.61